Being uncomfortable by choice as a means of personal growth has been touted for hundreds of years among scholars, philosophers, religious leaders, modern pop culture icons, and more. Yet, research pertaining to the benefits of being uncomfortable by choice is sparse. This qualitative, grounded theory study addressed the first step of…

This article reports on the findings from an interview-based, qualitative study of adult learners in Scotland participating in the MITx u.lab massive open online course in 2015 and 2016. It focuses on interviewees' accounts of the impact of participating in u.lab on their work and lives. Using grounded theory as an analytical guide, we explore…

The purpose of the study was to explore the experiences of women over 50 pursuing a college degree in Taiwan. Specifically, this study explored the motivations, barriers, support, strategies, and benefits of these women upon attending college in Taiwan. Women's development and learning theories, socialist feminism, and the concept of productive…

This paper investigates what instructional factors influence conceptual understanding (CU) of signals and systems for senior undergraduate engineering students. Previous results show students in signals and systems courses typically gain little CU, though evidence-based instructional practices, such as active learning, can increase gains in CU.…

Purpose: This study aims to explore the role of planned, sudden shifts in lived experiences, in influencing learner capabilities towards improved problem-solving for sustainable development outcomes. The authors responded to employers of engineering and built environment graduates observing limited "real-life" problem-solving skills,…

In response to legislation from the federal government and the rising number of ELs in public schools many school districts are searching for ways to ensure ELs are making adequate progress on English proficiency. The problem is defining the best method for teaching ELs in the mainstream classroom is difficult. The current gap in educational…

This review aims to discuss a new substantive theory generated from a Grounded research that we conducted in 2018 as a concept of 'getting real way' in the learning of the foreign languages in the 21st century and the forth. The preferent learning theory, as labelled then, covers three important concepts namely free-will-whim, individual and…

This article considers formal and informal learning activities in massive open online courses (MOOCs). MOOCs are often broadly positioned as either cMOOCs (based on connectivistic pedagogies) or xMOOCs (based on cognitivistic/behavioristic pedagogies). In a recent "International Review of Research in Open and Distance" article, Anders…

Exposing pre-service teachers to international professional experiences through a short-term visiting programme serves to challenge their understandings of good quality practice through disturbing assumptions and expectations previously formed through experiences in their own country/culture. Much of the research in international study focuses on…

Project-based learning is a key methodology for the 21st century classroom. The teaching pedagogy is grounded in collaborative learning for students and collaborative teaching practices for educators. When social media and digital technologies are used as aids in the project-based learning approach, it adds a new dimension of learning for students…

The development of empathy in the healthcare setting is integral to high-quality patient care as empathy provides the ability to connect with patients to gain a better understanding of their emotions and experiences. Empathetic education is a component of medical education and nursing education; however, it is not a required curricular component…

This book is unique in bringing together theory, research, and practice about English encountered outside the classroom -- extramural English -- and how it affects teaching and learning. The book investigates ways in which learners successfully develop their language skills through extramural English and provides tools for teachers to make use of…

Using a conceptual framework constructed from elements of self-evolution, epistemological reflection, and constructivist adult learning theories, I examined how 8 student veterans progressed toward the developmental stage of self-authorship and what role, if any, their military training or experience played in that development. The findings from…

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study will be to describe how selected Western theological educators have experienced the process of teaching theological education courses cross-culturally using e-learning methods. The essential phenomenon will be explored through the central research question: How do Western ministry educators…

The Theory of Formal Discipline (TFD) suggests that studying mathematics improves general thinking skills. Empirical evidence for the TFD is sparse, yet it is cited in policy reports as a justification for the importance of mathematics in school curricula. The study reported in this article investigated the extent to which influential UK advocates…